Journey: Pre-Steve Perry Era

[rapidfirerob]

I bought Journey's self-titled based on positive reviews on PE - about five years ago. I got rid of it, gave it away, the same week. I think Styx blows the band away.

Styx never did a thing for me.

[Trane]

I bought Journey's self-titled based on positive reviews on PE - about five years ago. I got rid of it, gave it away, the same week. I think Styx blows the band away.

How to lose 10 000 points in one sentence on PE...

Besides, that's not giving an album much of a chance to sink in...

[claycorn]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream,_After_Dream

A forgotten classic journey lp, do give it a try100313_135052.jpg

[mozo-pg]

How to lose 10 000 points in one sentence on PE...

Besides, that's not giving an album much of a chance to sink in...

I listened, I disliked, therefore I am. What can I say?

The Styx comment is irrelavent - I just happen to like them - great live band.

[yogibear]

So, you're saying that you really love Look Into The Future and Next?

yeah even though "look into the future" had the title song which is in itself like an 8 minute song , the songs from the debut had more impact what with "topaz" and "of a lifetime" being killer jams with the one bit where the drummer and guitars are riffing and doing stops and then it is just so awesomely tight that one bit is so impressive. they became less proggy rocking and more standard riff rockers on susbsequent rekkids/cds. greg rolie and neal came up with some killer stuff on the first two albums. the third one to me is more like the heavy radio fm rock that was being played bck in the later 70's early 80s.

[Mythos]

Really enjoyed early Journey with their first release being my fav, they opened for Thin Lizzy back around 75/76 and it was an awesome double bill. I saw them again when the opened for Utopia and they were still great jammers live, as soon as Perry came along, they became a 'chick" band as far as I was concerned and I never bothered with them again...

[Bake 1]

Styx never did a thing for me.

They pretty much always made me feel ill. Watched part of a documentary on em' last night to see if i'd missed something, but came away more convinced than ever that their whole schtick was to create and embellish a 12 year old fanboy fantasy world made mostly out of cotton candy and a bowl of Lucky Charms.

[Vic2012]

I played NEXT yesterday thanks to this thread. I need to play that album a couple times a year. I have a nostalgic connection to that album. It doesn't get a lot of love here but I really like that album. Ah hell, I love it. The problem with that album is how the tracks are sequenced. Side one is slow and dirge-like. Side two is a little more up tempo. They should have mixed it up and balanced it out more. But really, I love all those songs. Gregg Rolie is fantastic on this album. His singing almost reminds of me of John Lennon, and some tracks have sort of a Beatle-ish vibe. And Nickel and Dime is one of the best "Rush" instrumentals I've ever heard . Okay there, I've gushed enough about it. Think I'll play it again this morning on my drive to work.

[3LockBox]

I was turned onto those first three albums just a few years ago myself. But I have to agree with those who like most of the first album, like half the second and think the third one was the band writing pop tunes at gunpoint. Say what you will about Perry, he made them a household name. I liked Perry-led Journey well enough back in the day. If I don't listen to it now, it has more to do with burnout than anything else. Same with (insert overplayed AOR act here). Neil Schon didn't exactly revert to that first album after Perry left.

[Vic2012]

and think the third one was the band writing pop tunes at gunpoint.

Are we hearing the same album? You're referring to NEXT right? I think there's more "pop" or radio friendly stuff on the previous two. Yeah, the songs are shorter on NEXT but I'm not hearing pop/rock. I hear hard/rock, and I get an, almost psychedelic, west coast vibe. I understand why that album flopped. It sounded like it was recorded in 1973 instead of 77. It just sounds dated. But man, songs like "I Would Find You","People","Next","Hustler","Karma" are all heavy, stoner, Bay Area rock. Maybe it's me. I seem to be the only one who really likes this album. That's okay, you can't account for taste, but I'm just not hearing any "pop" on NEXT.

[JIF]

I was turned onto those first three albums just a few years ago myself. But I have to agree with those who like most of the first album, like half the second and think the third one was the band writing pop tunes at gunpoint. Say what you will about Perry, he made them a household name. I liked Perry-led Journey well enough back in the day. If I don't listen to it now, it has more to do with burnout than anything else. Same with (insert overplayed AOR act here). Neil Schon didn't exactly revert to that first album after Perry left.

As it has been pointed out in this thread, Journey's latest(Eclipse) rocked harder than their Perry period. So, who cares if they didn't go back to their original sound.

[Digital_Man]

It seems that "Next" is to Journey what "Wind and Wuthering" is to Genesis.

[Vic2012]

I played "Journey" (the first album) yesterday, thanks to this thread. It's not a bad debut, and a good album for 1974. I think Kahoutek is overrated though. I like Topaz a lot more. As usual, Gregg Rolie is a damn fine keyboard player. The organ is HUGE, and the synth and electric pianos are great. Journey was Gregg's band.

[JIF]

I played "Journey" (the first album) yesterday, thanks to this thread. It's not a bad debut, and a good album for 1974. I think Kahoutek is overrated though. I like Topaz a lot more. As usual, Gregg Rolie is a damn fine keyboard player. The organ is HUGE, and the synth and electric pianos are great. Journey was Gregg's band.

Actually, it's Neal's band. He formed it, and Greg joined later.

[Mikhael]

Actually, it's Neal's band. He formed it, and Greg joined later.

Are you sure about that? Schon and Greg both came from Santana's band at the same time to form Journey, I thought. And as far as Steve Perry goes, his voice was a marvelous instrument. I wasn't fond of what he did to the band with his controlling, paranoid, messed-up attitude, and the music was definitely less interesting after his arrival. But he had a wonderful voice, oh yes he did. I've listened to Arnel (sp?) versus Perry closely, and though Arnel's good, he's still not Perry.

[JIF]

Are you sure about that? Schon and Greg both came from Santana's band at the same time to form Journey, I thought. And as far as Steve Perry goes, his voice was a marvelous instrument. I wasn't fond of what he did to the band with his controlling, paranoid, messed-up attitude, and the music was definitely less interesting after his arrival. But he had a wonderful voice, oh yes he did. I've listened to Arnel (sp?) versus Perry closely, and though Arnel's good, he's still not Perry.

Neal called Greg to join Journey(which was called The Golden Gate Rhythm Section at that time); Rollie was working at his father's restaurant. Neal has been the only constant member of Journey.

[Scott Bails]

I always thought Neal and Rolie formed it together, both of them coming from Santana and all.

[Scott Bails]

I've listened to Arnel (sp?) versus Perry closely, and though Arnel's good, he's still not Perry.

I think he's better.


Yeah, that's what I said.

[meimjustalawnmower]

Neal called Greg to join Journey(which was called The Golden Gate Rhythm Section at that time); Rollie was working at his father's restaurant. Neal has been the only constant member of Journey.

You're splitting hairs. Gregg was already in the band when they decided to rename themselves as "Journey".

[JIF]

I think he's better.


Yeah, that's what I said.

With Eclipse, Journey proved that they can rock hard and Arnel proved that he can handle that kind of stuff.

[Vic2012]

Neal called Greg to join Journey(which was called The Golden Gate Rhythm Section at that time); Rollie was working at his father's restaurant. Neal has been the only constant member of Journey.

I didn't know about them being called The GG Rhythm section but I knew about Gregg moving back to Seattle to work with his dad or something. Yeah, the way I always understood it, Journey was built around Neal and his firey guitar playing. There was a time when Neal Schon was this hot-rod, rock guitarist. He was part of the next wave of shit-hot guitarists after Jimi, Clapton, Jeff, Carlos, Page, etc. But for me personally, the whole personality of early Journey was Gregg. Once Perry joined Gregg started getting elbowed little by little. The amazing thing about Gregg Rolie is that he's not a big famous rock star, or a household name at all. Yet, when you think of all those Santana hits and all that great keyboard playing in both Journey and Santana, it was Gregg's voice and Hammond organ that made those groups so good. He's inducted in the R&RHOF twice (Santana, Journey).

[JIF]

I didn't know about them being called The GG Rhythm section but I knew about Gregg moving back to Seattle to work with his dad or something. Yeah, the way I always understood it, Journey was built around Neal and his firey guitar playing. There was a time when Neal Schon was this hot-rod, rock guitarist. He was part of the next wave of shit-hot guitarists after Jimi, Clapton, Jeff, Carlos, Page, etc. But for me personally, the whole personality of early Journey was Gregg. Once Perry joined Gregg started getting elbowed little by little. The amazing thing about Gregg Rolie is that he's not a big famous rock star, or a household name at all. Yet, when you think of all those Santana hits and all that great keyboard playing in both Journey and Santana, it was Gregg's voice and Hammond organ that made those groups so good. He's inducted in the R&RHOF twice (Santana, Journey).

Journey isn't in the R&RHOF. They got their star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

[SteveSly]

Really enjoyed early Journey with their first release being my fav, they opened for Thin Lizzy back around 75/76 and it was an awesome double bill. I saw them again when the opened for Utopia and they were still great jammers live, as soon as Perry came along, they became a 'chick" band as far as I was concerned and I never bothered with them again...

I saw them a few years later and it was Thin Lizzy opening for Journey. Great show, both bands were fantastic.

Steve Sly

[Trane]

I didn't know about them being called The GG Rhythm section but I knew about Gregg moving back to Seattle to work with his dad or something. Yeah, the way I always understood it, Journey was built around Neal and his firey guitar playing. There was a time when Neal Schon was this hot-rod, rock guitarist. He was part of the next wave of shit-hot guitarists after Jimi, Clapton, Jeff, Carlos, Page, etc. But for me personally, the whole personality of early Journey was Gregg. Once Perry joined Gregg started getting elbowed little by little. The amazing thing about Gregg Rolie is that he's not a big famous rock star, or a household name at all. Yet, when you think of all those Santana hits and all that great keyboard playing in both Journey and Santana, it was Gregg's voice and Hammond organ that made those groups so good. He's inducted in the R&RHOF twice (Santana, Journey).

I'dd agree that Gregg is more the reason why I liked early Journey than Neal was...Actually I place Neal in third place after Ainsley Dunbar... But I have no qualms saying that Journey is Neal band >> History proved it that way, anyway

And the band lost Ainsley and Rollie very quickly after Perry got there.... But then again, by that time, they were out mostly out of my radar

[Mikhael]

I think he's better.


Yeah, that's what I said.

Not technically, no. Perry can effortlessly hit a note right on the money, every single time. Arnel has to slide to it occasionally. I'm not saying Arnel is bad, not at all; rather, just that Perry has an incredible command over his instrument that few can match. Of course, his instrument ain't what it used to be nowadays. His control is, but not his range...